Popular eatery Haidilao Hot Pot’s Clarke Quay branch has had its license suspended by the National Environment Agency (NEA) for two weeks over unhygienic food practices.

In a suspension notice, the NEA said that the restaurant’s staff were found to have handled food with their bare hands and that the outlet also sold food that was unclean. The outlet had accumulated 12 demerit points over the last 12 months and was fined a total of $800.

The suspension period, which began on 10 February, will end on 23 February. All food handlers working in the suspended premises will also be required to re-attend and pass the Basic Food Hygiene Course before they can resume work.

When Yahoo News Singapore visited the restaurant, a notice was seen on display informing would-be patrons that it would be closed for 50 days due to “renovation”. The restaurant also appeared to be undergoing a major overhaul.

Haidilao serves mainly Sichuan-style hot pot meals and has six branches in Singapore. It also has outlets in a number of other countries, including China, South Korea and Japan.